Product Review - Seagull Black Laptop Backpack

Now that I am flying so much, I needed to re-evaluate what I was travelling with as onboard luggage. As well as how many bags I was toting travelling back and for each day to work.

I was offered the opportunity to try out the Seagull Black Laptop Backpack. While it holds up to a 15.6" laptop, I live and breath on my Ipad, which comfortably fits in the padded computer slot, secured with a velcro closure.

Both the back and backpack straps are padded for comfort. The straps are adjustable and are securely fastened to the main unit. There is lots and lots of storage in this backpack. There is a pocket and sunglasses hanger on the straps. Two water bottle nets are on each exterior side. There are five zippered pouches of increasing size in this backpack, not including an interior pen/pencil/phone (eyelet headphone slot as well)  storage.

The exterior would repel rain, but is not completely waterproof - don't set it in a puddle! An exterior carry handle at the top allows the backpack to be carried by hand or attached to a suitcase. The zipper teeth are medium weight nylon, the pulls are metal and both seem quite sturdy. Side clasps allow the user to keep the pack in tight or looser mode.

There is a great deal of room in this backpack! It would suffice for a weekend bag - and it meets the carry on measurements for plane travel. I've loaded my lunch and workday bits and bobs in and there's still room for me. It looks good too with the black (won't show the dirt!) and red accents. Overall I really like it!

Product review - OXOQO iPhone 6/6s Waterproof Case

My husband and I have taken up kayaking this year. I've enjoyed taking picture of our travels on the local waterways, but I've been terrified of dropping my Iphone in the water. So when I was offered a chance to review.

On opening the package, I noticed the instructions were inside the waterproof case. My suggestion would be to have them kept separate. I wasn't quite sure how the case opened and didn't want to snap the latches, negating the whole waterproof concept. The case is made of heavy duty plastic material which seems like it would stand up to a drop or two.

There is a card included indicating you should do a waterproof test first using paper towel. I folded a large square inside, snapped the unit shut and submerged it in a large bowl of water. I left it for an hour and there wasn't a drop of water on the paper towel. Check. The unit has an IP68 rating which is: "Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure."

That same card indicated there is a piece of protective film on the inside screen that needs to be removed before use. I have to say - it was quite difficult to remove this as there was no 'pull tab' or larger edge to grasp. I had to scrape an edge loose with my fingernail to remove it.

Be sure to buy the right size for your phone. My phone fit in snugly and the case latched securely. Instructions indicate you should "set the phone to flight mode, cancel screen automatic lock, raise the screen brightness and be in camera mode before closing the case up, I was intrigued by the wide angle lens (170 degrees) built into the case. The screen covering the control panel is quite thin, so operating the phone was no problem. The wide angle does produce fish eye pictures, but the images are clear and crisp. Sealed stainless steel pins allow you to operate the side buttons.

The set comes with a neck lanyard - very handy to have. The case can be removed from the lanyard to use without having it on your neck. One suggestion would be to have a quick release safety latch on the lanyard. A wrist strap is also include with a lock. This also worked well.

Also included are a number of attachments allowing you to attach the case to your bicycle handlebars (I did try this and it worked) or if the pictures are correct - to your helmet.

I would suggest that OXOQO have someone with substantive English writing skills edit their instruction booklet. I do question the use of a brand name GoPro in their literature and product description.

Overall, this product did exactly what I hoped it would do - kept my Iphone safe from water splashing, ensured that if I did quickly drop it into water, it would be okay (Although I don't think I could do total immersion - just my own fears). I'll be using it at the beach as well to keep the sand out.  And the splash pad. Bottom line - it allowed me to take pictures with less worry!

The Polaroid CUBE

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? No? You might want to put this fun little item on your list for someone - or yourself.

Half the fun of buying gifts is seeing what's new, different - and quite frankly, catches my eye. (And yes, some of them do end up on my own list) The Polaroid CUBE certainly did!

I mentioned little - the CUBE measures out at 1 1/4 inches square. But it packs a lot into that small little case - it takes both pictures and HP video (resolution can be switched to 720 or 1080p), with a microphone as well. It accommodates a 32 GB SD card (purchase separately), the battery lasts about an hour and half (recharge by plugging in to computer or use a wall adaptor and transferring to my computer was easy. (USB cable included) Set up and learning to use it literally took minutes - instructions were clear and easy. One button on top controls everything - off, on, video and camera.

Being this small, there is no viewfinder - instead you can point and shoot. Polaroid is marketing this as a "lifestyle action video camera". And this is why it caught my eye....you can mount and attach the CUBE to just about anything. I also got the strap mount - in one and two meter lengths. What? Yep - there's a rotating mount that fits on the straps. So, think about it - you can strap it on anything and video film. Back of your backpack, dog's leash, on your wrist out walking, and really - anything, anywhere.  It's winter in my part of the world - so it's going outside with me - on the snowmobile. (It's weatherproof and splashproof). I think I might get the bicycle mount for summer. The CUBE's case is sturdy and seems pretty shockproof, with a grip proof finish.

Why would you want to film this you ask? Why not? It's fun and action shots would be a neat perspective - I'm thinking of a friend who is a serious mountain biker. (Helmet mount) The magnet on the camera is incredibly strong, so you could attach it to anything metal. (The outside of the fridge comes to mind, inside on the dash of the vehicle on road trips and maybe even the hood of the car driving slowly)

I also got the tripod mount - it's headed to the staff Christmas party on Saturday. It's unobtrusive and I won't have to hold anything. It will sit nicely in the center of the table and I'll just turn it every so often. Plus, it fits in my purse!

The photo and video quality is of course not going to the same quality as a full size camera. But you know, it's really good for a one inch camera. Keep in mind that it's a wide angle lens, so there is a rounding of the edges of the images. Low lighting inside did result in somewhat grainy photos - to be expected. Outside, both video and images were very, very clear.

Lots of fun in a little package - for all ages. And the price is right. Two thumbs up.

Tea Beyond

Now, it's very rare that I post anything but book related posts. But honestly, I don't think I ever sit down to read without a cup of tea! So when Tea Beyond offered me the opportunity to try a couple of their products, in exchange for an honest review, I agreed.

The package arrived safely, well packed (with recyclable materials) I was excited to see what the Clear Glass Butterfly Teapot with Tea Cosy  would look like! It's a delicate glass teapot, with a beautiful pink glass butterfly on the lid, said to represent 'change to a better life.' The handle has a non slip grip with raised glass knobbies. There's a design around the bottom that designer Jane London has added to represent tea drops. The spout is non drip and the entire thing is top rack dishwasher safe. Myself, I would prefer to hand wash it. Glass just seems that much more delicate than clay or porcelain.

Now, what you see on the inside is really clever glass infuser - no mesh at all, just barely there slits in the glass. It's a really pretty teapot, nice to look and it would feel 'special' to make yourself a 'cuppa' in this pot. It holds about 24oz. For this tea granny, just enough for me alone!

It wasn't until I went to fold up the box to recycle it, that I noticed the sticker on the bottom with some information and pictures. I think it would have been much wiser to include this information on a paper insert inside the teapot itself or at least in the box.  The bottom of the box isn't where I would look for info.

So you've made your tea - how to keep it warm? This particular unit comes with a glass bottomed warmer with a metal plate on top to set the pot on. There are holes to allow ventilation. The candle was included. This is a very pretty way to keep the tea warm and adds to the overall 'ceremonial' feel. However the instructions for this were also slapped on a sticker on the bottom.

What you see in the pot is one of  the 12-Pack Fab Flowering Blooms Tea that was also offered for review. Okay, these blew me away! Flowering tea was new to me. They are absolutely amazing. And it's so much fun to sit and watch them unfurl! More tea was consumed simply to watch them bloom! (Advertising says 10 brews can be made from one bulb - I think that would be a bit of stretch - the last pot would be very weak) 'Silver needle green tea' surrounds a flower (carnation, lily etc. - chosen for their Chinese medicinal properties), they're sewn together, dried and vacuum sealed. Now, I like tea a lot, but am by no means an aficionado, so I asked a friend what they thought. "It's a delicate flavour, light tasting and lightly flavoured." However, the labelling on some of the packets was so tiny, it was only possible to identify it by the picture. But this time, there is a lovely instruction book included IN the box - much better.  Now, being an inveterate reader, I read everything included in the shipment. These products are made in China and unfortunately the translation/syntax/spelling is very clumsy in spots.... "helps relief depression"..."helps eliminate bad odors in your month" (I have to believe they were going for mouth) This detracts from the professionalism of the product.

These products are stamped with AKA - Ashley Koff Approved. Having no idea who this was I searched and found she is a 'celebrity' registered dietitian who has appeared on Dr. Oz  amongst other things. "The Ashley Koff Approved (AKA) Personal Shopper is a tool you can easily create a shopping list of better quality products with because - as every qualitarian knows - better quality means better health."

For me, the teapot was lovely and will make having a cup of tea feel 'special' and is just nice to look at. The infuser is great - I will be using it for loose leaf tea. The blooming teas are amazing, but not something I would regularly consume. Thank you to Tea Beyond for the review products.

Reading Comfort - Amanda Crawford Designs

Reading Comfort makes one of my absolute favourite book related products. The Book Buddy. I literally use mine every day! They range in price from $14.95 and up. A picture is worth a thousand words - the video gives you a clearer idea...



But they also have a lot of other book related items that would make great gifts or stocking stuffers.

These book covers come in a variety of sizes (mass, trade and hardcover) and patterns.
Jeannie is pictured here. I tried out the mass market size. I like to look after my books and this is a great way to protect the cover. Just slip the covers into the pockets. Or a a friend pointed out - you can keep what you're reading private. And the bookmark is built in.

On the right is the elastic 4 ribbon bookmark. The elastic in this model is very sturdy - meant only for hardcover books. It has a really beautiful button at the top. I must be backwards. I found it easiest to have the bookmarks holding from the bottom of the book. Having 4 is great to keep track of quotes you want to use in reviews. This would also be handy for cookbooks or researching a paper for school.

The glittermark bookmark also fits over the cover of your book and features a single ribbon bookmark. It's really very pretty. Again, I found it best suited to a hardcover. It does work on a softcover book, but it's best if you're about 25 pages into it first.

All items are well stitched and attractive. Thanks to Amanda for the review samples!

Meet my Buddy.......

....my Book Buddy that is. When Mandy at Reading Comfort asked me if I'd be interested in trying out a Book Buddy, I was intrigued.

I have been propping up my books on a pillow in my lap for years. My physiotherapist told me this would be easier on my neck and shoulders. And it is. But it still didn't fix the problem of having to hold the book. I have arthritis in my thumbs and gripping a book for long periods of time is painful. This ingeneous little pillow solves both issues. The pillow itself is lightweight and moldable, unlike the heavy clunker I've been using. But the most inventive feature are the ribbons used to hold the book in place. No more gripping! The straight ribbons hold down the front and back covers locking your book in place and the diagonal ribbons can mark your place or hold down the pages you've already read. All the ribbons can be cinched with adjustable bobbles. I tried this with both hardcover and paperback and it worked well for both sizes of books. And my thumbs were happy!

Here's the cool thing - the Book Buddy comes with an acrylic 'desktop' that you can attach to the pillow with the diagonal ribbons. It's securely attached and can be used as a writing surface. But I am going to use it for my laptop. Yes, you may remember me telling you earlier that I did a lot of my blogging with my computer on my lap and setting it down on soft surfaces. Not good for my neck or the laptop - I could feel the fan heating up. The acrylic top lets it 'breathe'. Because it's securely fastened to the pillow, you can choose the angle you want.

As a sewer myself, I had to check out the workmanship. The seams are sturdy and the ribbons are securely sewn in. And now for the pretty stuff - it comes in lots of designs and colours. (Not sure how you knew Mandy but mine perfectly matches my library!)

I've been using it for a week, 'test-driving it' if you will, and I'm really, really happy with it. It would make a perfect gift for a book lover, someone who has difficulty holding books, a student, or just treat yourself. They are available online or at many retail locations. Yes - there's one in Canada too! Reading Comfort also sells other book related items, such as bookmarks, bookcovers and blankets.